Review of MySQL/PHP Database Applications
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My brother in-law described PHP to me as "imagine if all the frustrated ASP programmers got together and said 'I wish ASP did this', then they got drunk and added a few extra features, then they got hold of some seriously psychadelic herbage and went on a massive trans-galactic trip". That is what PHP is like.
Of course I was sceptical but I had course to use both PHP and MySQL on a project involving a product called X-Cart http://www.x-cart.com. His assessment of PHP is pretty fair. It does EVERYTHING I wish ASP did and more.
I wish I could go into more detail but a) I've only just scraped the surface, b) I would need a small deciduous forrest to rave about PHP.
MySQL I found to be a database for blasting out information at high speeds. Everything is geared around the sort of activity that a web programmer might want to do, but not around what a general purpose programmer might want.
The LIMIT statement that you mention is good because it returns 'n' records starting at record 'x'. If 'x' is omitted then it functions as the TOP keyword in SQL Server. In other words it is geared to produce web pages of information i.e. 10 records at a time.
MySQL has a lot of string manipulation functions and also data manipulation functions. Again, exactly the functions that a web programmer would find useful.
Note that Zend www.zend.com produce a product called Zend Studio. This is both a server and client development environment for PHP and I would recommend it.
Zend are also due to release a product called ZPS which is specifically to enhance Windows stability when running PHP. PHP being optimised for Linux, Apache, MySQL installations. You may see this combination referred to as LAMP.
There are several bolt-ons for PHP which enhance its functionality.
I would recommend buying a product like x-cart, both as an excellent product in its own right but also as a means of learning PHP. You get the full source-code when you buy the product.
PHP is free. MySQL is free, but if you want to distribute it in a commercial environment or want support then you have to pay for it. This is as it should be.
Certain PERL programmers I know also admire PHP because many of its functions are immediately familiar to them.
The way in which PHP deals with arrays is a joy to behold.
I haven't found a good MySQL book. At least from the DBA perspective, but it has a number of interesting abilities.
If you install MySQL then make sure that you install PHPMyAdmin and MySQL Control Centre.
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He was not wholly unware of the potential lack of insignificance.
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Tend to agree with most of this. PHP is pretty neat and works well, even on Windows. It's a nice language, but personally I find that ASP does everything I want. Especially as you move to the .NET version, then Python might be a better comparison.
Either way, nothing wrong with the combination of PHP/MySQL.
Steve Jones
http://www.sqlservercentral.com/columnists/sjones
The Best of SQL Server Central.com 2002 - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/bestof/
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Actually the combination of php/mysql is very good.
My homepage insidesql.de uses both. I wish I would understand php more. But in my case the choice was rather dictated as SQL Server hosting does not seem to be common in Germany. And if you find a provider you can't afford it. PHP/MySQL webhosting is far less expensive here. So the choice for me was easy, although it meant learning a new scripting language.
But I disagree that php runs well on windows. There are several function of php like dynamically creating images with imagepng() or some variables liek $HTTP_REFERER that I couldn't get to work with windows. And it depends on what webserver you use. For example $HTTP_REFERER works fine with Apache, but not with IIS. Well, bottom line is, that they do work somehow on windows, but both systems excel on *nix systems.
Frank
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Frank Kalis
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Webmaster: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs
My blog: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs/frankkalis/[/url] -
quote:
I haven't found a good MySQL book. At least from the DBA perspective, but it has a number of interesting abilities.I think Paul DuBois wrote the technical reference on MySQL4. Have you tried this?
Maybe more interesting than MySQL in terms of a 'grown-up' RDBMS is MaxDB the former SAP DB, which is now maintained by MySQL AB and can be found on their website.
Frank
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Frank Kalis
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Webmaster: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs
My blog: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs/frankkalis/[/url] -
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I haven't found a good MySQL book. At least from the DBA perspective, but it has a number of interesting abilities.The one from APress! by Michael Kofler is decent.
http://www.apress.com/book/bookDisplay.html?bID=2
K. Brian Kelley, GSEC
http://www.truthsolutions.com/
Author: Start to Finish Guide to SQL Server Performance Monitoring
K. Brian Kelley
@kbriankelley -
Any of you guys up to reviewing one of those books? Im not opposed to a little cover of mySQL (or anything else really) that is close to our world.
Love the description of PHP.
Andy
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I don't own the books I've mentioned, but I've seen them at our web developers. Maybe I can get hands on them.
Frank
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Frank Kalis
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Webmaster: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs
My blog: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs/frankkalis/[/url] -
I'll have to see. As it is I owe you guys an a security article.
But the kiddos are with the grandparents. Perhaps!K. Brian Kelley, GSEC
http://www.truthsolutions.com/
Author: Start to Finish Guide to SQL Server Performance Monitoring
K. Brian Kelley
@kbriankelley -
quote:
But the kiddos are with the grandparents. Perhaps!Lucky one!
Frank
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Frank Kalis
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Webmaster: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs
My blog: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs/frankkalis/[/url] -
Frank,
The $HTTP_REFERER, $HTTP_POST_VARS and $HTTP_GET_VARS stuff is dictated by the PHP.INI file. I'll find out which setting it is that determines thebehaviour and pass it on when I return to work next week.
I learnt the basics of PHP from the Wrox Press book Beginning PHP4.
If you get hold of the book it is the chapter on forms that describes the setting withinn PHP.INI.
HTTP_REFERER tends to be a bit tempermental in IIS no matter what language you use. I think it has something to do with connection pooling.
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He was not wholly unware of the potential lack of insignificance.
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Hi David,
what are you doing now in the forum?
Is your wife also reading Harry Potter V and you've got nothing better to do with your time
?Would be really nice if you could help me. The HTTP_REFERER things are working since I moved to Apache. If I could get the rest to work I could do my webdevelopment solely on my XP.
Frank
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Frank Kalis
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Webmaster: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs
My blog: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs/frankkalis/[/url]
But the kiddos are with the grandparents. Perhaps!
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